DHSUD @ 7: Bringing hope, changing lives

DHSUD Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling underscored how policy reforms, program expansion, and a people-centered approach have strengthened the administration’s housing and urban development.

Reforms introduced by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) over the past seven years have translated into concrete, life-changing outcomes for Filipino families, through President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s flagship Expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) Program.

As the Department marks its 7th anniversary with the theme, “Seven Years of Continuing Service: Celebrating Our People and Partners in Building Homes, Building Communities, and Building Happiness,” DHSUD Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling underscored how policy reforms, program expansion, and a people-centered approach have strengthened the administration’s housing and urban development agenda.

Created in 2019 by virtue of Republic Act No. 11201, the DHSUD consolidated the housing and urban development functions under one department.

In 2022, it launched President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s flagship 4PH Program, which was further recalibrated and expanded in 2025, following the assumption of Secretary Aliling.

“Ang positibong pag-arangkada ng Expanded 4PH ay bunga ng sama-sama at pagtutulungan ng lahat ng kawani ng DHSUD at ng ating attached agencies, alinsunod sa malinaw na direktiba ni Pangulong Marcos Jr. na maghatid ng maayos, ligtas, at disenteng pabahay para sa bawat pamilyang Pilipino,” Secretary Aliling said.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. led the opening of the first government-initiated National Housing Expo 2025 held in October.

Housing modalities for all

Under the Expanded 4PH, housing delivery now goes beyond vertical developments to include horizontal housing, rental housing, the Enhanced Community Mortgage Program (ECMP), incremental housing, and housing sites covered by Presidential Proclamations, ensuring a wider and more inclusive reach—from the working and middle class to families in the informal sector.

In January 2026, DHSUD sustained its strong performance by facilitating the awarding of Certificates of Entitlement (COEs) to beneficiaries of long-standing Presidential Proclamations in Palawan, distributing COEs under the revived ECMP, launching rental housing projects in Quezon City, Iloilo City, and Victorias City, and overseeing the turnover of house-and-lot packages in Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro.

Pag-IBIG Fund likewise offers a 3 percent subsidized home loan rate Expanded 4PH, the lowest in the market, making homeownership more accessible to the working and middle class.

“By delivering socialized housing at a subsidized rate, we make homeownership attainable for the working class—from the minimum wage earners and low-income families. This is inclusive growth translated into real homes as envisioned by our President,” Aliling said.

Beneficiaries under ECMP and Presidential Proclamations have cited the profound impact of finally securing land tenure after decades of waiting—describing the assistance as a source of peace of mind, stability, and renewed hope for their families.

“These life-changing stories inspire DHSUD to continue improving our systems and expanding our reach. Sa bawat susi ng bahay at bawat sertipikong naipagkakaloob, malinaw na ang reporma ay may tunay na epekto sa buhay ng tao,” Aliling said.

Families affected by the PNR South Long Haul Project formally received in September last year their certificates as new homeowners under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s Expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) Program.

DHSUD Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling and Undersecretary Eduardo Robles awarded in January this year the first batch of certificates of entitlement to about 2,000 beneficiaries, marking the rollout of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s Expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino Program in Narra, Palawan.

Transparency, integrity win trust

Aligned with the President’s directive, the DHSUD continues to implement its 8-Point Agenda, anchored on integrity, transparency, and accountability, with zero tolerance for corruption.

The reforms under the Expanded 4PH have also strengthened private sector confidence, encouraging the participation of reputable developers and top-rated contractors in the government’s housing initiatives.

The Department also opened its doors wide for stakeholders engagements, particularly private developers, to align government programs and policies with the private sector.

Dialogues with homeowners associations also became a routine for regional offices to maximize the groups’ potentials toward community development and nation building.

Seven years since its creation, the DHSUD reaffirmed its commitment to continuously strengthen housing policies and programs that directly uplift Filipino lives—building not just houses, but stable, inclusive, and resilient communities nationwide.

“Sa ikapitong taon ng DHSUD, malinaw ang aming paninindigan—ang pabahay ay hindi lamang istruktura kundi pundasyon ng dignidad, seguridad, at pag-asa. Hangga’t may pamilyang Pilipino na nangangarap ng sariling tahanan, magpapatuloy ang DHSUD sa pagtatrabaho nang may integridad, malasakit, at pananagutan, alinsunod sa bisyon ni Pangulong Marcos Jr. na walang Pilipinong maiiwan sa Bagong Pilipinas,” Aliling said.